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DIGITALCONVERGENCE The Path Toward the
K-12 Modern Learning Environment
MAY 2016
The K-12 ChallengeAcross the United States, the K-12 school system is undergoing fundamental
change in the shift toward the modern learning environment. School leaders are
now collaborating with entrepreneurs and researchers to redesign existing school
structures. Meanwhile, teachers are connecting locally and nationally with other
educators to share resources, strategies, and advice on how to use technology
effectively in the classroom. Students are collaborating with classmates and other
learners to create knowledge in ways never before possible. Using technology,
these stakeholders are removing traditional boundaries in time and space, allowing
learners greater control over when, where, and how they learn.1
Technology has long disrupted industries to create a greater focus on the consumer.
A recent example is Uber, which has fundamentally changed how consumers think
about transportation by removing traditional constraints to
information exchange. Through its digital platform, Uber
has connected consumers to a vast network of producers
that can deliver services unique to them, when and where
they need it. Before Uber, transportation was controlled by
taxi services, which determined the flow of information
and services. The advent of new technology caused this
balance to shift, offering consumers greater awareness,
resources, and power in the consumer-producer dynamic.
Like consumers, students of K-12 schools are discovering
similar benefits of digital tools as they gain unprecedented
access to resources and information constrained by
traditional learning models. Technology’s disruptive impact
is creating the need to redefine existing roles and structures
in the shift toward student-centered learning.
Digital Convergence is the fundamental change needed in the K-12 school
system—both at the national and school district levels. At the national level, Digital
Convergence is the intersection of people and ideas as they seek a unified approach
to integrate technology into classrooms and use it to transform the student learning
experience. At the school district level, Digital Convergence is the successful
intersection of five major categories of work through which Digital Convergence
can successfully occur—Leadership, Instructional Models, Modern Curriculum,
Digital Ecosystem, and Professional Learning—to redesign existing infrastructure
and resources to support modern learning.
1 “The NMC Horizon Report: 2015 K-12 Edition.” The New Media Consortium. (2015). http://cdn.nmc.org/media/2015-nmc-horizon-re-port-k12-EN.pdf
Digital Convergence: The Path Toward the K-12 Modern Learning Environment
2
BackgroundTechnology has long been a part of the K-12 classroom. Computers were first
introduced to classrooms in the 1980s and 90s.2 Early computer teaching programs
focused on the development of basic cognitive skills, but improvements in hardware
and software allowed students to focus on more advanced cognitive tasks such as
critical thinking. The transforming role of technology has continued, with significant
advancements in recent years. The development of new hardware, software, and
capabilities—from tablets and smartphones to cloud-based computing—has
changed the learning experience by extending it beyond the classroom, providing
access to additional learning, and allowing learners to study at their own pace and
in ways they prefer.
Digital resources have provided visibility across the K-12 school system and have
connected geographically dispersed stakeholders. Leaders, teachers, and students
are using technology to share information and knowledge at an unprecedented level
and scale.3 Teachers are using social media, blogging, and other technology to build
personal learning networks that allow them to collaborate and seek help with lesson
planning, curriculum development, and more. Students are using programs such as
Google Apps and Skype to interact in and out of the classroom—with classmates
and other learners. Students are even assuming the role of teacher, as demonstrated
by the range of students who are now creating and posting instructional videos
to educate other learners.4 Superintendents and other administrators are joining
“education innovation clusters” to collaborate with innovators, researchers, and
entrepreneurs who are knowledgeable in technology integration. Across the country,
K-12 stakeholders are working together to rethink the entire school system.
Despite significant progress, barriers remain to Digital Convergence. These barriers
are created by the implementation of single-point solutions, which attempt to
address complicated problems (student achievement generally being the most
common) by purchasing a product or service from a single vendor. Examples
include the purchase of laptop computers, access to curriculum, professional
learning from a local nonprofit, or a learning management system. Purchasing
only one of these solutions, or purchasing them all and leaving it to the vendors
to manage separately result in significant barriers to Digital Convergence. These
single-point solutions often target some but not all categories needed for Digital
Convergence, fail to address the categories adequately, or disrupt the entire
process of Digital Convergence.
2 Delgado, A. J., Wardlow, L., McKnight, K., & O’Malley, K, “Educational Technology: A Review of the Integration, Resources, and Effective-ness in K-12 Classrooms,” Journal of Information Technology Education: Research, 14 (2015): 297-416, http://www.jite.org/documents/Vol14/JITEv14ResearchP397-416Delgado1829.pdf
3 “The NMC Horizon Report: 2015 K-12 Edition.” The New Media Consortium. (2015). http://cdn.nmc.org/media/2015-nmc-horizon-re-port-k12-EN.pdf
4 Joddie M. “Students Teaching Students: Adding Mixed Numbers.” Youtube, (2014). https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kXHGZKXllD-Q&list=PLYJAYPjnSk3KJrMg3huszfRBGjq1TPjTQ
Digital Convergence: The Path Toward the K-12 Modern Learning Environment
Despite significant progress, barriers remain to Digital Convergence.
3
The implementation of single-point solutions is a short-sighted response to
common challenges school districts face. School leaders often implement
technology initiatives and devices without establishing a shared vision for the
initiative and without gaining buy-in from community members, teachers, and
students, which may ultimately create resistance in using technology in the
classroom. This response is facilitated by the structure of school districts,
which primarily relies on top-down changes from administrators.5 Additionally,
instructional models and curriculum remain designed for the traditional learning
model, which makes using technology difficult and fails to leverage the full
capability of technology, such as the ability to make learning more personalized.
Another response by school districts is to implement devices without considering
interoperability, thereby creating a fragmented and frustrating learning experience.
Lastly, professional learning often fails to educate teachers sufficiently and
continuously to keep pace with technology, especially as the role of the teacher
expands to embrace new strategies and pedagogies. Research shows that many
pre-service training programs do not address how to incorporate technology
effectively into teaching, and on-the-job training often focuses only on the features
and functions of equipment.6
Single-point solutions are ultimately a result of the lack of coordinated foresight,
participation, and resources among all stakeholders affected by technology
integration. Nowhere is this more apparent than between school districts and their
schools. As school districts continue to struggle with managing budgets, many
schools must make their own purchasing decisions as they convert from analog
to digital. These schools often purchase solutions that
address school-specific needs but are not supported at the
district level, ultimately resulting in a fragmented learning
network. This issue is further enhanced by the arrival of new
and innovative education technology, which has increased
the need for informed choices when purchasing digital
resources.7 The only answer to single-point solutions is
a unified approach to the selection, implementation, and
integration of modern learning solutions.
5 ibid6 ibid7 “Expanding Evidence Approaches for Learning in a Digital World” U.S Department of Education, Office of Educational Technology, (2013),
http://tech.ed.gov/files/2013/02/Expanding-Evidence-Approaches.pdf
Digital Convergence: The Path Toward the K-12 Modern Learning Environment
The implementation of single-point solutions is a short-sighted response to common challenges school districts face.
4
Digital Convergence: Overcoming Single-Point SolutionsDigital Convergence follows a dynamic, iterative journey unlike the linear path
of a single-point solution. As one driver of Digital Convergence changes, the
remaining drivers must be addressed and revised to sustain a uniform solution. The
interrelation among the drivers of Digital Convergence is perhaps best described by
Jay Forrester and Peter Senge, who developed a language in the form of archetypes
to describe how systems interact as solutions are applied to them.8 Forrester and
Senge’s findings illustrate the need for a solution that solves fundamental problems
and provides foresight to the people implementing them. Because a complex
system contains a myriad of interrelations among system components, the input
on the system is dependent on numerous conditions. Comprehensive solutions that
facilitate Digital Convergence allow coordination among components and address
all conditions required to make the solution successful. These dynamic solutions
encourage stakeholders to view their effect on the system
as a whole, rather than viewing their effect on an isolated
part of the system.
Additionally, Digital Convergence ensures that digital
assets provide sustainable value over time by making sure
that the solution continues to adequately meet the needs
of each part of the system. This prevents the solution from
becoming obsolete for failing to integrate with one part of
the education system.
Digital Convergence is not an end point, rather a state that
is continuously changing amid changes in technology
and each of the five drivers. The highly dynamic nature of
Digital Convergence necessitates that leaders establish
an assessment process or framework to measure their progress. It also requires
that leaders leverage technology to help track and anticipate barriers to Digital
Convergence, such as using predictive analytics to understand trends and allocate
resources to effectively integrate technology.
8 William Braun. “The System Archetypes,” February 27, 2002, http://www.albany.edu/faculty/gpr/PAD724/724WebArticles/sys_arche-types.pdf
Digital Convergence: The Path Toward the K-12 Modern Learning Environment
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Digital Convergence: The Five Drivers DefinedIt is important for K-12 superintendents, chiefs, principals, and teachers to understand
the five drivers of Digital Convergence and how they are interrelated.
Digital Convergence: The Path Toward the K-12 Modern Learning Environment
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1. LeadershipReaching Digital Convergence begins with leadership. Superintendents, cabinet members, and other key
stakeholders must work collaboratively to set a shared vision for the transition to the digital classroom.
Once established, leadership must bring the vision to internal stakeholders and the community to gain
participation and buy-in. This entails convincing community members to envision classrooms differently
from what they remember, as well as assuring teachers that more technology will not lead to more
complexity.9 Leadership must also work collaboratively with stakeholders to develop a Digital Convergence
plan, secure funding for long-term technology adoption, and create adequate training and support for
sustainable and effective technology adoption.
9 Kacy Zurkus. “How emerging technology is changing K-12 classrooms,” CIO, August 27, 2015, http://www.cio.com/article/2976878/education/how-emerging-technology-is-changing-k-12-classrooms.html
LEADERSHIP
Digital Convergence: The Path Toward the K-12 Modern Learning Environment
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2. Instructional ModelsIn addition to effective leadership, reaching Digital Convergence also entails selecting, designing, and
implementing instructional models that leverage technology and best teaching practices effectively. Unlike
the traditional model centered on teacher lectures, blended learning offers a revolutionary paradigm that
uses digital resources to drive student engagement, participation, and critical thinking, as well as enables
students to benefit from the accessibility of online resources and learning methods. Teachers, curriculum
writers, and other stakeholders must work together when determining instructional models, ensuring they
match the shared vision and Digital Convergence plan established by leadership.
INSTRUCTIONALMODELS
Digital Convergence: The Path Toward the K-12 Modern Learning Environment
8
3. Modern CurriculumAlso important to Digital Convergence is redesigning existing curriculum to incorporate digital content
within the instructional framework. Creating modern curriculum requires curriculum writers, teachers, and
other stakeholders to select appropriate digital content that fits the chosen instructional model, shared
vision, and Digital Convergence plan. One school district provides an example of curating digital content
to create a modern curriculum. The district chose to replace paper textbooks with online, open-source
textbooks that allowed teachers to add or modify content to suit their instructional needs, including linking
to videos and other resources.10
10 Wylie Wong. “How to Transition from a Print to Digital Curriculum,” EdTech, July 3, 2013, http://www.edtechmagazine.com/k12/arti-cle/2013/07/how-transition-print-digital-curriculum
MODERNCURRICULUM
Digital Convergence: The Path Toward the K-12 Modern Learning Environment
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4. Digital EcosystemWith the prevalence of devices such as tablets and smartphones, stakeholders must collaborate to design
an effective digital ecosystem. The digital ecosystem requires careful consideration and planning around
the type of devices to implement and how they can be leveraged together, as well as how those devices
will be supported by adequate infrastructure.11 As an example of a digital ecosystem, one school district
provided students with tablets and digital microscopes for a biology experiment. Students used the
tablets to take pictures outside, and the digital microscopes to analyze the images. The tablets and digital
microscopes were used together to advance knowledge in ways not possible in a traditional classroom
setting.12 Ensuring that the digital ecosystem is fully integrated and supportive of hardware and software
brings the school district one step closer to Digital Convergence. However, stakeholders must build a
digital ecosystem that fits the district’s shared vision, Digital Convergence plan, instructional model, and
modern curriculum.
11 ibid
12 ibid
DIGITALECOSYSTEM
Digital Convergence: The Path Toward the K-12 Modern Learning Environment
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5. Professional LearningThe fifth and final driver to reach Digital Convergence is Professional Learning. Teachers need education
on how to use the chosen technology, and in the context of the instructional model and modern
curriculum. Beyond training teachers on the features and functions of technology tools, professional
learning must empower teachers to use those tools in new and impactful ways.13 Modern educators
require instruction on when best to use technology, whether in class or at home, and how best to use
it during their daily interactions with students. Teachers should also receive education on how to move
from lecture-driven to student-centric pedagogy, in which teachers offer guidance and allow students
to drive learning.
13 Arlene Borthwick and Melissa Pierson. Transforming Classroom Practice: Professional Development Strategies in Educational Technology, International Society for Technology in Education, 2008, http://www.iste.org/images/excerpts/prodev-excerpt.pdf
PROFESSIONALLEARNING
Digital Convergence: The Path Toward the K-12 Modern Learning Environment
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Digital Convergence:The Path ForwardReaching Digital Convergence is the key to fundamentally redesigning the learning experience for the
modern age. Currently, the implementation of single-point solutions results in a fragmented learning
network in which teachers and students suffer to make the transition from traditional to digital learning,
missing out on the opportunity for improved outcomes, engagement, and a new paradigm that fosters the
creation of knowledge versus the acquisition of it. For districts and schools to begin leveraging technology
for the better, they must work toward Digital Convergence with a comprehensive approach that involves all
stakeholders at all phases of technology integration. Only then can the industry reach Digital Convergence
as a whole and reap the benefits of an entirely collaborative, transparent, and integrated system.
INSTRUCTIONALMODELS
DIGITALECOSYSTEM
LEADERSHIP
MODERNCURRICULUM
PROFESSIONALLEARNING
Digital Convergence: The Path Toward the K-12 Modern Learning Environment
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Digital Convergence: The Path Toward the K-12 Modern Learning Environment © 2016 Modern Teacher. All rights reserved.
About Modern Teacher:
Modern Teacher partners with districts to support the transition
from traditional classrooms to modern learning environments.
We are an educational technology company designed to provide a
research-based methodology for Digital Convergence in education,
and we’ve created a technology-enabled solution to support
districts in leveraging today’s tools across K-12 classrooms.
At Modern Teacher, we’ve assembled a network of like-minded
professionals dedicated to supporting teachers in today’s highly
connected, digital world.
Contact Us:
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Denver, CO 80237
720-600-0203
www.modernteacher.com
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